Options for Engine with Burnt Valve and Failing Piston Ring

[ashwinearl]

10103AC880 from hueberger. My heads are marked d25 so that's right. We did it by vin and I asked for the 255. Part number corresponds to the ej255 and not the 257 though.

 

For reference to the thread, it was $1719 and $110 shipping.

 

 

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This is just for reference. When I gave my 2005 LGT wagon VIN # to Hueberger, they said that the EJ257 Short Block was listed. The price is the same for the EJ255 and EJ257:

 

My VIN is:4S3BP676X56337331

This was their parts guy's reply to my question:

 

According to Subaru you already have the EJ257 engine (part number 10103AC870 - $1719.99). The EJ255 is part number 10103AC880 and it costs the same. Shipping for either block will be a flat $110.00 to anywhere in the lower 48 states.

[Aeolus]

Could simply be a valve clearance issue.

 

 

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How can one tell? I think the dealer (not the outfit who told me the valve is burnt) was going to charge me 1700 to do that back when I let them look at the car when I was first getting the CEL and they said it was missing on two cylinders. I was shocked they said the valves were too tight (think that was the term) or I needed a new engine because i had read a number of possible causes to a miss that they didn't seem interested in investigating.

[Aeolus]

If it were me, and you love the car. I'd sell yours as is and see if boxkita still has one of theirs for sale.

 

 

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~~Who?~~ never mind. Found it. He's parting shit out....Is that what you meant?

Edited November 13, 2019 by Aeolus

[Nonamedude]

Yea that's the thread. No he's selling I think 4 vehicles whole and not parting them out. Then he ALSO has a ton of parts. Idk if his vehicles are still avaliable though. I haven't checked that thread in a bit so maybe he did move to part outs, but I'd be surprised.

 

He's in Seattle area and been a long time enthusiast and forum member.

 

 

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[Aeolus]

Not sure if this matters at all but I got the compression test numbers (as they were given to me) and leakdown test.

 

The compression when cold was 145 and when warm 125

 

Leakdown test was 20% on cylinder 2 and 18% on cylinder 4.

[Nonamedude]

Uhhh 145? You should have 4 numbers. 1 for each cylinder. 145 or 125 is probably fine assuming all the cylinders were around the same. If they weren't then that's bad.

 

Those leakdown numbers are bad. But a turbo subaru with burned valves. Eh that seems to be the norm.

 

I don't recall if it's been said. What's your oil consumption like?

 

 

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[Max Capacity]

Yeah, the leak down #'s are not good.

 

If you want to keep the car, start saving your money.

[Nonamedude]

Yeah, the leak down #'s are not good.

 

If you want to keep the car, start saving your money.

 

 

 

Yea but that's just a head rebuild and likely new exhaust valves and guides. If the other compression numbers are similar, that saves like 2k.

 

 

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[Max Capacity]

But if he plans to keep it for many years, its good insurance to have a new short block too. Taking into account all the labor involved in doing the heads.

 

My ej257 will have 130,000 miles before Xmas.

[Nonamedude]

Oh don't get me wrong. I'm glad, however financially straining it's ended up, that I'll have a new engine and rebuilt heads. No leaks, no turbo shaft play, no wear. It's in many ways like owning a new car.

 

 

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[Aeolus]

So this car actually had possibly similar work to what I think will be needed at the place I plan on calling. There are pictures of the work in that CL post. I calculated the two pages to a bit over $5k.

 

Can the turbo be "checked" to see if it is fine for new heads or new shortblock and heads?

 

Should I have the new place do a leakdown test on all cylinders? I have no idea why the last place only gave me two. I think it was to imply these were the only cylinders that seemed bad?

 

To answer financial/need questions:

 

I'm married with to incomes but neither of us make a ton. We own a house that I fell into at a great price and a ton of liquidity. Bought my dad's house and paid his loan and took some out for remodels.

 

I get to work on a RadRunner (electric bike) and the wife had been driving the red (now "dead"...eh? eh?) car. She's been switching between driving the other GT (2001) and car pooling with a friend from work. The farthest we typically drive from home is 15 miles one way, though would like to be able to get to Seattle and farther afield sometimes.

 

This car isn't a need. But I really do love driving it when I do. I may be trying to convince myself spending 5k (or a bit more) makes more sense than putting that money to a new car, but neither of us really wants to be spending $300+ a month on a newer used car for the next 3-4 years because car loans are a shade less crazy than owning a boat when it comes to valuable investments.

 

Maybe the tranny is going to go soon though too. I don't know. Is there a way to tell?

 

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Sidebar regarding the commonality of burnt valves on these cars. I read here and have seen some others in these forums and elsewhere the fuel injectors might be the cause. I also read that tunes can solve the weak fuel problem, and have read that it can be just a matter of high miles. Maybe the valves aren't a high quality?

 

I ask all these questions for a few reasons: if I decide to A fix this or B buy something similar someday I'd like to as best I can avoid this problem.

 

With the current car we were Johnnie-on-the spot with oil changes using premium oil, and always bought premium fuel. We put ~30k miles on it since purchase. The day I drove the car home (after purchasing it) I noticed it ran a little rough, but no one else seemed to notice and I have a tendency towards hypochondria so I thought it was just me or it was how a tuned car ran.

 

After that I only drove the car occasionally, and I didn't notice the rougher idle until very recently and after it threw the CEL.

[DaveWaters]

How can one tell? I think the dealer (not the outfit who told me the valve is burnt) was going to charge me 1700 to do that back when I let them look at the car when I was first getting the CEL and they said it was missing on two cylinders. I was shocked they said the valves were too tight (think that was the term) or I needed a new engine because i had read a number of possible causes to a miss that they didn't seem interested in investigating.

 

 

 

Valves can actually stretch. When they do they close the gap between the bucket and cam lobe. When that clearance is gone the valve will stay open slightly. This will show on a leak down test as air is now escaping though the slightly open valve.

 

When doing a leak down test the mechanic can listen for where the air is escaping. If its through the oil filler it can be a ring / ringland issue. If through the exhaust it could be exhaust valve and intake could be intake valve. At this point you may want to find someone to bore scope the problem cylinders to see if there’s anything obvious. If there isn’t anything obvious it could just be valve clearance.

[DaveWaters]

What’s involved: https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/my-turn-adjust-valve-clearances-242071.html

[Aeolus]

Update: A tech my dad knows mentioned it could be carbon problem. I noticed on a report from one shop I had do some work mentioned the car was due for a carbon cleaning. I had a different local shop do that and that seems to have fixed it.

 

It still feels to idle slightly inconsistently, but I've not had the CEL appear since.

 

Here's to hoping it was just the carbon!

[pdXammo]

If you continue to have issues I am parting out a car that has an awfully nice motor in it. I'm not giving it away but, it's a great value and I've run the motor. I'm asking $2800 with a new vf52 on it.